How I Found My Religion Way of Life: Part 3
Peace. This time there will be no disclaimer because this is something… different. It’s an update. Each time I have written it was when I thought I reached a sort of plateau. I was under the impression that I was taken out of darkness and into light. I am not going to say that I am fully immersed in light because, Our Creator apparently, has a sense of humor. It turns out that every single time I thought I was getting it the rug was pulled out from under me.
I was inspired to write the post “God: The Ultimate Wireless Connection” and I didn’t know how true it was, at the time. My arrogance led me to believe I was coming to understand the Qur’an without the language of Arabic. What I didn’t know is the history that tried to subvert it’s message. How was this message so clear to the masses and, yet, so convoluted for us? Why do Arabs not understand their own book? Is it really hidden away like some secret gem like I previously believed?
My intention was to follow one God when I was about 16. I didn’t know His name I didn’t know anything about Him or what He wanted us to do. I only knew that He was the one that created everything and controls everything. I still believe this. Everything surrounding what I believe is subjected to this Philosophy (Philosophy is one of my favorite words. The Etymology is what I love. Philos means Love. Sophia means wisdom). So, in order to persue this belief I have had to agree to discard ANYTHING that stands in my way. It is the logical thing to do. We don’t know what is truth and what is a lie in religion. We don’t know what bias may have been injected into interpretations. God’s words are purity. They mean what they mean. They don’t have to be modified to fit a preconceived notion. They need to be pondered and reflected. They need to be practiced and shared.
This post will get too long but suffice it to say that I no longer follow a religion. Any Muslim will tell you that Islam isn’t a religion it’s a way of life. Yet they will explain to you concepts that are remarkably similar to every other religion. I stopped performing the ritual prayer that we bow down and face a building. I always wondered why there is a black stone that “fell from heaven” why do we have it in a building that is supposed to be dedicated to one God? Why is the place that houses this Building called the Forbidden Masjid (Masjid Al-Haram). If it’s forbidden then what are we supposed to do about. Often you will get some convoluted answers that people will tell you about duality of a meaning of one word. I can accept that but the opposite meaning? There is something I was missing.
About a month ago I put a post up on Reddit on a Qur’an only group asking to meet other Muslims that also believed in one God and only venerated this God. I wanted to pray in a place devoid of images and names of any Prophet. I wanted to join a congregation because I believed that the verses of the Qur’an were telling me to do so. So, when someone reached out to me I quickly accepted the invitation. The next day was Friday. So I asked if he would like to pray together. Finally it seemed like I was going to be able to get a group together, albeit a small one. Imagine my surprise when he told me he doesn’t perform the ritualistic prayer called salaat, namaz or contact prayer. I felt the same hesitation and fear that I have felt every time there was something that may shift my views in an unprecedented way.